Aeroplane-engine.



G. F. JENKINS. AEROPLANE ENGINE.

I APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1910 1,089,645, 7 Patented Mar. 10, 19M

'2 SHEETS-SEEM 1.

fi i m ,,l 1

I v V J WITNESSES: VENTOR; 3x152 QHWA; Ma s C. F. JENKINS. AEBOPLANE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1910 Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 amms-s1mm 2.

[III/II WITNESSES.- 53? mm CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AEROPLANE-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent." Patented M31. 10, 1914.

Application filed December 13, 1910. Serial No. 597,104.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS, citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines especially intended for aeroplanes and of the type in which the engine cylinders rotate about a fixed crank shaft.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the motor with two opposite cylinders shown in axial section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the principal parts of the apparatus, portions being in section. Fig. 3 shows one cylinder in cross section, the plane of section passing through an exhaust port. Fig. 4 shows a distributer plate in face View and in diametrical section.. Fig. 5 is a rotary distributer plate shown in face and side elevations.

In these figures, 1 represents a portion of the structure carrying the engine, 2 an engine bearing member fixed to that structure, and 3 a crank shaft rigidly held by the member 2. Upon the shaft is revolubly mounted a crank case, and to the latter a propeller 9 and four radial, angularly-equh distant engine cylinders 8, 8, 8, 8 are secured the cylinders being held in place by threaded rings 24:. Diametrically opposite cylinders aline and form a pair not in the plane of the other pair. Fuel is supplied to the cylinders from a carbureter 22, by means of a pipe 17 and distributer pipes 14:, 1 1", 14, 14 leading to the inner end =portions of the cylinders, respectively. The distributer includes a fixed plate 16 secured to the shaft 3 by a set screw 19, a rotary plate 15 bolted to the crank case and spaced from the plate 16 by an annular disk 18 fixed to the end of the pipe 17 which passes loosely through an opening in the plate 16. The disk 18 is pressed firmly against the plate 15 by springs 20 in hollow bosses 21 upon the plate 16'. The distributer pipes are fixed to the peripheral portion of the plate 15 to communicate with passages 15*, 15", 15, 15 respectively, which lead to-the face of the plate in position to register successively with the pipe 17 when the plate 15 is rotated. Each cylinder is provided with a bypass 12 which is filled with small tubes 13, to guard against back-firing, and further provided with a suitable spark device '25, and on its rear side, with respect to the direction of rotation, with a tubular or nipple-like exhaust port 11 inclosed by a longer and materially larger tube 11, 11*, 11, 11, having lateral openings near the cylinder and flaring, air-engaging wings, whereby the rapid rotation of the cylinder about the shaft 3 forces air into the pipe, creating an aspirating current and thus sucking the products of combustion from the cylinder.

Upon the crank pin are mounted two in dependent rings 5, each in the plane of one pair of the cylinders and each freely revolubly about the crank pin on ball bearings.

The cylinders/are provided with pistonsi,"

10, 10, respectively, and the alining piston rods ofeach pair are held from moving from the axial line of the pistons and are rigidly attached to opposite sides, respectively, of a yoke 6 or 6 having a way or slot, oblique to the piston rods, in which the corresponding ring 5 fits and may travel. The obliquity of the slot is such that the thrust of the piston rod upon the yoke urges the latter to slide, with respect to the crank pin, with a force materially greater than would be necessary to overcome the natural resistance of the contacting members to sliding upon each other. This obliquity gives the same advantage as the well understood expedient of placing the crank shaft of ordinary engines at one side of the axial line of the pistons travel, and adds materially to the efiiciency of engine of the rotating cylinder type. In operation, assuming that an explosion has occurred in any cylinder, as in 8, Fig. 3, revolution about the fixed crank shaft is caused and the yoke 6 while rotating bodily changes its position with respect to the crank pin by sliding longitudinally thereon. Explosion in the next cylinder continues the movement by acting similarly upon the other yoke 6'. When a half revolution has been made, the yoke 6 reverses its sliding movement and when a revolution has been completed, all the parts are in initial position. On the outward stroke of each piston, gas is drawn into the inner end of the cylinder, and as the piston returns it closes the inlet port, compresses the gas, and finally uncovers the upper or outer end of the bypass allowing the charge to rush into the outer end of the cylinder, where on the return of the piston to this end of the cylinder it is compressed and exploded, the aspirating pipe aiding in the discharge of the resultant gases.

What I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane engine, the combination with a closed crank case, having exter nal diametrically opposite cylinder-receiving depressions, revolubly mounted upon a fixed axial crank shaft, 015 pairs of radial alining cylinders held'in said depressions, respectively, by threaded encircling rings, a rigid piston rod structure passing through apertures in the crank case, rigidly connecting the two pistons of each pair and provided with an'oblique crank-receiving slot, and an aeroplane propeller fixed to and rotating with the crank case.

2. In an aeroplane engine, the combination with a closed crank casehaving diametrically opposite, external, cylinder-receiving recesses and revolubly mounted upon a fixed crank shaft, of pairs of alining radial, one-piece cylinders mounted in said recesses, respectively, and held'therein by encircling threaded rings---pistons working inthe cylinders of each pair and rigidly pair, piston rod members rigidly connecting the pistons of each'pair, sliding in bearings Within the cylinders and provided with central oblique slots to receive the crank, a fuel conduit leading to the crank case, and conduits carried by the crank case, leading to'the cylinders, respectively, and arranged to register successively with the conduit first mention'ed,'as the crank case rotates.

In testimonywhereof I have *afiixed my signaturein resence of two Witnesses. CHAR ES FRANCIS JENKINS. witnesse's fr l. H v

" O. B. DEPUE,

G. Lovn. 

